No UN arbitration in renewed talks, says Eide

Neither the two leaders nor the UN wants arbitration as a means to moving the talks forward, UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide said on Monday, the eve of the resumption of talks which had been stalled for the past eight weeks.

Arbitration fears were sparked at the weekend when Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci called for more shuttle diplomacy between the two sides and the guarantor powers, but also said he would be open to oral bridging ideas from the UN.

Speaking after his meeting with Akinci on Monday, Eide said he remained convinced that a solution could be found and this would become clear in the coming days. The aim for Tuesday was to get off to the “most optimal re-start possible”, he said.

The UN envoy spoke by phone to President Nicos Anastasiades in Madrid immediately after the meeting with Akinci so that he could hear both the leaders’ expectations for Tuesday.

He wanted to see how they could structure the coming weeks “so we really focus on what is most important” and find a way that both leaders were comfortable with. He emphasised that he was talking “weeks” at this point, and not months.

He added that he and his team would do everything possible to help but stressed that his mandate had not changed and the process was still leader-led.

“I frequently read that I want to arbitrate but I definitely do not want arbitration. The leaders do not want arbitration. The secretary-general of the UN does not want arbitration but the manner in which I can be helpful is something that I will ask them,” he said.

Eide said the two sides had lost a lot of time and a lot of trust over the parliament’s Enosis vote, which prompted Akinci to walk away until “the mistake was fixed”, and while Eide believes the leaders can rebuild their relationship, people in the two communities had begun to express their concerns over the credibility of the process, he said.

“I think it is up to the leaders to invest again in building that intercommunal trust that is necessary… but at the end of the day, the two communities have to want to reunite and have to want to live together and this is the responsibility of the leaders first and foremost, but also for other actors in society,” said Eide.

He said the leaders were motivated for a return to the talks “but that does not guarantee an effective outcome”. Given what has been accomplished so far, it was time to start wrapping up and investing in seeing how the outstanding issues could be bridged. It was not only a matter of opportunity but of will, Eide said.

Akinci on Sunday called for UN shuttle diplomacy between the two sides and the guarantor powers and said no one should expect unilateral steps from the Turkish Cypriot side. “This path will only lead us to a solution if we walk together,” he said. He also said he was open to oral ideas and proposals from the UN that could help bridge the gaps.

“The Turkish Cypriot side will behave reasonably and realistically. Zero troops and zero guarantees are not realistic nor reasonable proposals,” he added, referring to the Greek Cypriot side’s demands on these issues.

“The future cannot be built with past approaches such as Enosis (union with Greece), partition and annexation, nor with talk about minority and majority perceptions.”

He also referred again to drilling for natural gas on the Greek Cypriot side, saying if this starts without a solution “new tensions, new confrontations may come up in an area where we could cooperate”.

Rejectionist parties on Monday, still stung by parliament’s Enosis vote last Friday, took pot shots at Anastasiades on the eve of the talks, saying effectively now that Akinci got his way on that, he would want even more concessions at the table.

Also they said Akinci’s talk of the UN offering oral ideas was a smokescreen for arbitration, which was partly why the Annan plan failed in 2004 and the reason why the current process is meant to be Cypriot-led with the UN as a mere facilitator.

Diko said the talks were resuming with no one knowing about the process or content while Solidarity’s Eleni Theocharous said Anastasiades had “lit the green light” for UN arbitration “which has been christened as oral bridging proposals and mediation”, she said.

Edek took a similar vein, saying it was not the UN’s responsibility to give bridging proposals. The Greens said Akinci was returning to the talks having achieved his goals which would now make negotiations more challenging.

Akel and Disy both expressed their support but Disy leader Averof Neophytou said that “after artificial crisis caused by the Turkish Cypriot leader, now is the moment of truth at the table”.

“We hope that the other side will give up unrealistic goals or unreasonable demands,” he said.

It is important that the two leaders get on with each other during these endless talks. But whilst the mood swings both ways, what has happened to confidence-building measures for the rest if us?

Leadership is not about them, it is about us. Let the people have the opportunity to share and enjoy each other’s lives. The longer the communities are kept apart the more difficult it will be for them to see a better future together.

If the Limassol twins want to show leadership, let them encourage all islanders to spend more time in each other’s communities. If we are to visualise a better Cyprus together, how about getting out of our road so we can discover how much better it could be.

Leadership is a result, not an ever-ending discussion. Time we had some please.

Pullaard

Very well said, Alex.

Alex

Ta 🙂

braveheart

Since fourteen years there has been no hindrance to freely move between the two sides. Nobody has been kept apart against his/her will.
What kind of encouragement is needed to increase the number of border crossings? Free casino chips?

Disgruntled

The border is not completely open, at least not to pet owners. Due to the absurd restrictions formulated by the Greek Cypriot side, pets are not allowed to be be brought back over the border to the south even if properly documented, inoculated and chipped. I say absurd because everyone knows that this island does not have a fenced border so stray animals can move from one side to the other at will. So why penalise responsible pet owners who wish to make a day trip to the other side? Just another example of artificial difficulties created by the GC side with no real justification.

braveheart

This is unfortunate but in keeping with EU laws. Animals brought into the EU from a non EU country need blood tests carried out by a state lab with 3 months incubation period or quarantine on arrival. Since the TRNC is not in the EU this rule sadly applies.
The paradox case of stray animals not “respecting” EU borders is equally valid for other countries with external EU borders, i.e. in the Balkans.

Disgruntled

Actually the whole of the geographic area of the island of Cyprus is deemed to belong to the EU. But until unification takes place, EU laws do not apply to the area governed by the north. The Balkans are not the same, as Cyprus is surrounded by water. It’s true however, that rabies can be carried by carrion bird life, but that is so in any part of the world.

Pets that are inoculated against rabies can have their blood analysed to see if their rabies vaccination has produced the correct antibodies and an appropriate certificate issued which should be enough for the ROC to allow an animal to recross the border. But ………, this is Cyprus!

This test involves your vet sending the blood sample to the UK and it is a one time affair that is good for the animals lifetime providing that their inoculation is kept up to date. The cost of this test is €150.

braveheart

The TRNC is for all intents and purposes not part of the EU. The border to the “Republic” is a land border, just like those in the Balkans.
Wild animals may roam freely between the two.
Try to bring your pet to a EU member country from outside the EU and you will find the procedure mentioned in my earlier post does apply everywhere, not just in South Cyprus.

afrocyprus

Should I as a Greek Cypriot show ID to walk over to the North???????
This division was created by the Turks, I suggest you direct your problem to them

Before you try and say” oh North has to show ID to come over from the North” yes they do because illegal person( turks) come over from Turkey and its unrecognized by the ROC and the EU

afrocyprus

Should tell Mr Bravefart a no border was in place prior to 74, and that how it should be, he is hell bent for recognized separation and divsion of Cyprus at the cost of the Tc’s demise.
That part he does not tell you. a pro troll is what he is

Alex

🙂

Slomi

The core problem is one:lack of mutual trust between both communities. Sad.

Yani

lack of love, lack of respect AND lack of trust.

afrocyprus

You need to divide that between Tc’s and Anatolians , massive difference in opinion and trust, GC’s TC’s have a lot in conman and dispites their problems in past have shared culture and trust can be built, I cannot say the same for the settlers and illegal colonists

Attila antor

Does anyone have any hope for theses talks

cyprus observer

Not any more. They are dead in the water.

Kibristan

Blimey as if the word-play isn’t bad enough already. Now we have to deal with “…oral bridging proposals and mediation”!
Now let me see…..if it’s oral bridging then it’s not actually bridging….hmm…I suppose the key thing here is that nothing is written down for any future proof it was the UN’s idea….
Still, as long as Eide is convinced…..

By continuing to use the Cyprus Mail, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.